Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Who are you:
My name is Felipe Elioenay, Graphic Designer and Art Director from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Your current job:
I’m a Digital Art Director at TUXEDO Agency
In which city are you located?
After 7 years working in Brazil and Ukraine’s greatest agencies, I moved to Montreal in the summer of 2014, a city I always wanted lo live in.
A word to define what kind of worker you are:
It sounds cliche but, I think the word is “passionate”
What tools are essential to your life (app, software, etc..)?
Mainly, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are my bread and butter. I always keep a few inspiration windows open on my desktop, whether it’s Behance, some design blog or a YouTube/Vimeo video. I’m mostly self-taught and I like to enrich my skills with new technologies and knowledge. I think a good designer must keep informed on what’s going on in the world’s creative industries and keep learning non-stop. It’s a matter of passion. Also, a nice graphic design book or too won’t hurt neither. To track my tasks I use Wunderlist for Mac.
What does your office space look like?
It’s mostly white, with a few colour spots, some raw wood, a cactus or two and a ping-pong table… We moved in this new space last fall and it’s both inspiring and fun. We have our own photo studio, and a big dining room where we can all share lunch in.
What kind of music do you listen when you are working ?
From progressive metal to contemporary instrumental artists such as Olafür Árnalds. I have a big crush on Icelandic artists.
Do you have a way to organize your day to maximize your work ?
I always take notes about what needs to be done and when we must deliver everything.
What tips would you give to improve productivity?
Checkpoint lists, they save lives.
You’re better than your colleagues to :
You wouldn’t say better, but for sure there are few things which make the difference among us, right?
At Tuxedo I think my most exclusive skill is my digital design knowledge and my “geekiness” on design references.
What is the best advice anyone has given you?
Side projects are important.
What is your best tip for saving time?
Try to find a strong concept before even turn on your iMac.
What is your routine start and end of the day?
30 minutes after I wake up I’m ready to ride my old Peugeot bike towards downtown. I arrive at the office, make myself a latte (which I’m trying to get better at, so I can say “you gotta try my latte”), read my work emails and Behance notifications, start to work. Religiously at noon I call my colleagues to go have lunch and after that another delicious latte, of course. Through the afternoon I finish all my stuff and try to take note of my time sheets to make our financial department happy (because they make me happy every couple weeks anyways). At 5:30pm I jump on my bike again and struggle back up the hill to my neighbourhood. At home I play some crazy stuff on my electric guitar or I work on a fun personal project. I’m such an old man, by 10pm I’m starting to get sleepy.
Aside from your computer and your phone, what gadget can you not go without?:
Other than my graphic tablet—which I’m useless without— I’m old fashion so I’d say: field notes, pen, notebook, headphones.
Agency website: www.agencetuxedo.com
Personal Portfolio: www.flplny.com